Why LB Malcolm Rodriguez Is 'Amazing Little Player'
Detroit Lions rookie linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez has emerged as a player that fans and media have gravitated towards.
From the debut episode of "Hard Knocks", in which the talented linebacker expressed his excitement level for the start of NFL training camp, since he was able to "hit" people, his stock has been on the rise.
"Watch Rodriguez," Sheppard said on a recent episode of the popular football series. "(Expletive) sick of saying this about a rookie. What y'all want me to do, put him out there first? Because that's what's about to happen."
All throughout training camp, he has steadily risen up the depth chart, and fairly quickly.
In the past 10 training camp practices, Rodriguez has worked his way up to play with the first-team defense.
© Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK
Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn knew that a question would be asked about the team's sixth-round pick when he took to the podium on Tuesday to address reporters.
"He is a pretty amazing little player, isn't he?," Glenn told reporters.
But, despite the increased attention, the coaching staff is not going to anoint him as being a player that has arrived.
"Well, you guys made him a star," Glenn continued. "I've said it before, and this is what Bill Parcells says, 'Don't put him in the Hall of Fame just yet.' But, I'll tell you what, he's a really humble kid. If the starting job is his, it's his. If it's not, it's not. He'll play special teams. He has to earn his keep. He knows that. And, I think he's doing a really good job of that. He's a focused individual. He understands exactly what he has to do to have a role, as far as this defense is concerned."
The linebackers unit has faced the most scrutiny, as last season did not produce the expected results, especially defensively.
With Derrick Barnes expected to take a step forward his sophomore season and veterans Chris Board and Alex Anzalone anchoring the unit, the play of the linebackers unit could benefit from the increased talent along the defensive line.
"Those guys are doing really good. The one thing that I'm really excited about, and it goes with the defensive linemen question that was asked, is the way that those guys are starting to really connect with each other," Glenn said. "Because the run game is not truly on point, unless the D-linemen and those linebackers are on the same page.
"And you really see that with our guys. You see our guys getting ready to come downhill. We are taking blocks off the D-line, and they're making plays. Or, you see our guys attacking gaps and the D-line are holding their blocks, right. And, they're running through, and they're (linebackers) going to make plays. And, the only way you can get that is trust. And, our guys are really starting to trust each other. And, that's a beautiful thing to watch. It happened in practice. It happened in the game. You see it against our guys, where they have the players only practice yesterday with the run game. And, you even talk to our own offensive linemen, that's one thing that they're saying, for the most part, is that's been a huge change, as far as the trust with our D-line and our linebackers. So, it's really a beautiful thing to watch."
